Laughter
by Becca-Loves-Yuge
Summary: Sometimes, laughter is the only cure for a heartbreak...even if it's not what you'd expect. Vanish, oneshot, kinda dark.Set after the final duel.


I own nothing.

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><p>Laughter<p>

White light shown from within the doorway. The spirits of Atem's friends from the past waved and smiled to him as he walked through the doorway. His clothing transformed and became that of the Pharaoh, not what he had worn as Yuugi's Yami. The light engulfed him and the heavy stone doors began to move together.

Tears continued to fall from Anzu's eyes as she watched the only man she had ever loved –would ever love- walk out of her life, literally. She reached out her hand, longing to pull him back to her. She took a stumbling step forward.

Jounouchi griped her shoulder, stopping her. He shook his head.

"Let him go, Anzu." He murmured.

No. How could she?

She stood transfixed, staring at the doors as they drew closed. All she could see of Atem was a tiny sliver of his back and one of his spikes. He glanced over his shoulder, their eyes locking.

And then she knew everything. From that one last glance, she knew that he had loved her. Would always love her.

The doors slammed shut, a gust of wind slapping against she and her friends, and took away the only thing in the world that Anzu knew she could not live without. How could she go on without those beautifully inhuman crimson eyes lined with thick, ebony lashes? Without those razor sharp tri-colored spikes? Without his gentle touch? Without his deep, soothing voice that always sent shivers down her spine.

Her knees gave out below her. She fell to the ground, catching herself with her palms. She stared holes into the stone ground below her.

He was gone. It was over.

She wanted to cry, to scream. However, she could not even open her mouth to sigh.

What was the point in crying? Atem was gone. No amount of tears would bring him back. It would be pointless to cry. To beg to the gods to bring him back would be a waste.

Did the gods even care? Why had they allowed her to fall in love with him, if they were only going to take him away?

"Atem…" She murmured.

Someone kneeled beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She knew the touch, knew the relaxing scent of musky lavender that enveloped him. And she hated him for it.

"Anzu, I know it hurts…" Yuugi began but trailed off.

She turned her head to stare into his amethyst eyes. She narrowed her eyes. "It should have been you who lost." She growled.

There was a collective gasp from their friends.

"Anzu!" Honda gasped, appalled.

"Hey, now! That ain't cool!" Jounouchi shouted.

Yuugi flinched against her cruel words. "Anzu, it's what he wanted…needed…"

She looked back up towards the stone doors that had stolen Atem away from her. "I know." She muttered.

That's what it all boiled down to. It's what he wanted and needed. And if she truly loved him, she would accept that.

But she couldn't.

She just could not imagine how she was supposed to just wave goodbye to him and go back to Domino City with a smile on her face.

A part of her would always remain in this tomb. Her body may leave, but her soul would stay trapped here.

"Come on, Anzu. Let's go." Yuugi told her softly.

She turned back to Atem's doppelganger and no longer saw her best friend.

She saw the man that had taken Atem from her.

She felt her eyes dull, her body go numb. How could she just leave with him? Go back to their normal life with him?

Nothing would ever be normal again.

She felt something inside her detach from the rest of her. She laughed. And she laughed again and again. Each new laugh brought her a sense of freedom. Each laugh rose in pitch until they were hysterical.

None of this was real, she told herself. It was a dream. A nightmare. Her gaze returned to Yuugi, who watched her with confusion.

His hair morphed before her eyes, his fringe lifting upwards and his hair lightening to red. His eyes also changed. She saw what she wanted. What she needed.

"Atem!" She giggled.

'Atem' glanced towards their friends. "Wha-?" He asked.

She never heard the rest of his question, because that's when the rest of her mind detached from her body. Now, she lived in her own little world.

A world where Atem had never left.

"Atem!" She giggled again.

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><p>~MutantEnemy6789<p> 


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